The massive Mercenary leapt off the roof of the Red Dragon Inn, and remarkably, landed safe, sound, and silently in the back alley. He headed towards the end of the alley, his heavy black boots making only whispers of sound as he progressed through the shadows.
On this night, the massive Scorpion wore a long sleeve black button down, and black pants instead of the usual jeans. He undid the buttons on his cuffs, rolling the sleeves up a bit as he neared the end of the alley, where he stopped and took up a lean against a wall. He took a cigarette and placed it between his lips, but stopped short of lighting it, looking back to the opposite end of the alley.
Something wasn't right. Someone else was coming.
Eyes narrowed and he slowly and silently made his way back towards the center of the alley, to a place where no doors or windows stood. He held onto the match he had pulled and crouched, still staying hidden within the shadows.
Three men came hurrying around the corner, slowing only once they were a few feet in the alley. They were a hodge podge of humanity. A portly fellow, one very tall and lanky, and the last couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen. All three had blades on their hips, a mix of sword and dagger.
"Did you see him the way I split him open?" The portly man acted out a strike across the lanky one's belly, and the tall man fell back as if his intestines were spilling out. "Twas priceless, truly priceless."
All three laughed, and the tall one spoke next. "Aye, and not only was he a mage, but he was a pansy elf too. two birds with one stone! A victory for Prop 37 and those Humanus people will pay well for the ears we took from him!"
"Well, we've got the kid to thank for that." He clasped a companionly hand down on the teenagers shoulder. "Quick thinking slicing those ears off before we beat feet outta there. The watch was sure to be on our backs any second."
The kid positively beamed at the praise heaped upon him by the men he obviously looked up to.
Scorp pieced things together while the three made small talk. Prop 37 supporters, obviously. They also seemed to support this new Humanus Crucible Party that was aiming to rid RhyDin of non-humans. Good luck with that.
Scorp struck his match and lit his cigarette, orange light flaring just a few feet from the three bigots.
"Evening, boys." That deep, gravelly voice made the three men jump and look around before Scorpion stepped from the shadows. All six feet, nine inches of muscle towered over the other men. The lanky one was pretty close to Scorp's height, but not quite.
They tried to hide their sudden fear, but Scorpion was too familiar with these kind of men.
"What've we got here?" Asked the portly fellow, who obviously had the most bravado. "Another magic user lurking in the shadows?"
The tall one piped up next. "He don't look so tough, I say we gut him like the elf."
Scorp narrowed his eyes at the men, a warning that they probably didn't see in the darkness of the alley.
"So what is it, big man' You a magic user" A demon' Some kind of filthy half-breed?" It was the kid talking now, obviously bolstered by his companions bluster.
Scorp shook his head. "Human."
"Right." Said the portly man, not believing him. "I say we kill him now and sort it out later. Might be a were." He signaled his companions and all three moved forward, spreading out. They couldn't get behind to flank him, but they could cut off any route of escape.
Scorpion shook his head, taking a final drag from his cigarette and flicking it against the wall, simply watching them come.
The fat man drew a dagger from his belt, wickedly sharp blade gleaming in what little light filtered into the alley. The tall one had a sword, and the kid stood back for a moment, looking on.
The portly thug surged forward with his dagger, and Scorpion wasted no motion, barely moved in fact, as he caught the man's wrist, causing hims to drop the dagger. He quickly booted his attacker in the gut, doubling him over. He held onto the man's arm, and soon Scorp's other hand braced the man's shoulder as he tugged, a sharp crack filling the alley as he broke the fat man's arm, and dropped him to his knees.
The eyes of the tall man went wide, but it was only a second before Scorp strode right over to him, keeping a wary eye on the kid, who rushed to check on the fallen fat man.
The lanky man swung wildly, Scorp simply stepping back, waiting for an opening. He soon found one, kicking up a rock that sailed into the man's nose, causing him to drop his sword and grab his face. Scorp rushed over, planting a knee in his midsection, doubling him over.
Scorp locked his arms around the man's waist and hurled him up into the air, turning to drop him back-first onto a nearby crate, shattering it and leaving the man lying on the ground covered in splinters.
He hauled the tall man back to his feet, grabbing him by the neck and belt, and hurled him head first into the wall with a thud. He dropped limply to the ground as Scorp turned towards the kid.
He was gone.
Scorp scooped up the wicked dagger that the fat man had dropped, and soon made his way out of the alley. The kid wouldn't have been hard to find, but Scorp let him go, he'd spread the word, and soon things would get real interesting.
On this night, the massive Scorpion wore a long sleeve black button down, and black pants instead of the usual jeans. He undid the buttons on his cuffs, rolling the sleeves up a bit as he neared the end of the alley, where he stopped and took up a lean against a wall. He took a cigarette and placed it between his lips, but stopped short of lighting it, looking back to the opposite end of the alley.
Something wasn't right. Someone else was coming.
Eyes narrowed and he slowly and silently made his way back towards the center of the alley, to a place where no doors or windows stood. He held onto the match he had pulled and crouched, still staying hidden within the shadows.
Three men came hurrying around the corner, slowing only once they were a few feet in the alley. They were a hodge podge of humanity. A portly fellow, one very tall and lanky, and the last couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen. All three had blades on their hips, a mix of sword and dagger.
"Did you see him the way I split him open?" The portly man acted out a strike across the lanky one's belly, and the tall man fell back as if his intestines were spilling out. "Twas priceless, truly priceless."
All three laughed, and the tall one spoke next. "Aye, and not only was he a mage, but he was a pansy elf too. two birds with one stone! A victory for Prop 37 and those Humanus people will pay well for the ears we took from him!"
"Well, we've got the kid to thank for that." He clasped a companionly hand down on the teenagers shoulder. "Quick thinking slicing those ears off before we beat feet outta there. The watch was sure to be on our backs any second."
The kid positively beamed at the praise heaped upon him by the men he obviously looked up to.
Scorp pieced things together while the three made small talk. Prop 37 supporters, obviously. They also seemed to support this new Humanus Crucible Party that was aiming to rid RhyDin of non-humans. Good luck with that.
Scorp struck his match and lit his cigarette, orange light flaring just a few feet from the three bigots.
"Evening, boys." That deep, gravelly voice made the three men jump and look around before Scorpion stepped from the shadows. All six feet, nine inches of muscle towered over the other men. The lanky one was pretty close to Scorp's height, but not quite.
They tried to hide their sudden fear, but Scorpion was too familiar with these kind of men.
"What've we got here?" Asked the portly fellow, who obviously had the most bravado. "Another magic user lurking in the shadows?"
The tall one piped up next. "He don't look so tough, I say we gut him like the elf."
Scorp narrowed his eyes at the men, a warning that they probably didn't see in the darkness of the alley.
"So what is it, big man' You a magic user" A demon' Some kind of filthy half-breed?" It was the kid talking now, obviously bolstered by his companions bluster.
Scorp shook his head. "Human."
"Right." Said the portly man, not believing him. "I say we kill him now and sort it out later. Might be a were." He signaled his companions and all three moved forward, spreading out. They couldn't get behind to flank him, but they could cut off any route of escape.
Scorpion shook his head, taking a final drag from his cigarette and flicking it against the wall, simply watching them come.
The fat man drew a dagger from his belt, wickedly sharp blade gleaming in what little light filtered into the alley. The tall one had a sword, and the kid stood back for a moment, looking on.
The portly thug surged forward with his dagger, and Scorpion wasted no motion, barely moved in fact, as he caught the man's wrist, causing hims to drop the dagger. He quickly booted his attacker in the gut, doubling him over. He held onto the man's arm, and soon Scorp's other hand braced the man's shoulder as he tugged, a sharp crack filling the alley as he broke the fat man's arm, and dropped him to his knees.
The eyes of the tall man went wide, but it was only a second before Scorp strode right over to him, keeping a wary eye on the kid, who rushed to check on the fallen fat man.
The lanky man swung wildly, Scorp simply stepping back, waiting for an opening. He soon found one, kicking up a rock that sailed into the man's nose, causing him to drop his sword and grab his face. Scorp rushed over, planting a knee in his midsection, doubling him over.
Scorp locked his arms around the man's waist and hurled him up into the air, turning to drop him back-first onto a nearby crate, shattering it and leaving the man lying on the ground covered in splinters.
He hauled the tall man back to his feet, grabbing him by the neck and belt, and hurled him head first into the wall with a thud. He dropped limply to the ground as Scorp turned towards the kid.
He was gone.
Scorp scooped up the wicked dagger that the fat man had dropped, and soon made his way out of the alley. The kid wouldn't have been hard to find, but Scorp let him go, he'd spread the word, and soon things would get real interesting.